But what about Pride?

The anticipation is rising for the arrival of Hong Kong’s Pink Season. But there’s one event missing that sticks out like a sore thumb. As we went to press, Pride Parade 2011 was not an event listed on Pink Season’s calendar.

The essence of any pride celebration is typically epitomised by a successful parade. “It attracts supporters from all around Asia and, as of now, it has been the only pride parade for mainland Chinese,” says Pride committee organiser Connie Chan of Hong Kong’s parade.

Our first-ever Pink Season gives an international brand name to a list of events in Hong Kong. So with both parties riding on the same boat, it seems like it would be a win-win situation for the two worthwhile groups to share resources and cross-promote each other.

But not so. According to the Pride Parade organisers, they haven’t been able to schedule a formal meeting with the Pink Season organisers. “We have a responsibility to our supporters and their donations,” says Pride Committee organiser Waiwai. “We cannot enter into any agreement without a sit-down meeting – we require this from all of our partners,” she says. She adds that the group ‘welcomes Pink Season’.

Anshuman Das, the representative for Pink Season, responds: “All the information has been sent to the Pride Committee; they knew of Pink Season since its conception in 2010. I have tirelessly tried to get together with the Pride Parade Committee. I am very close with many members on the committee and my heart goes out to them and the work they have done for the LGBT community. I welcome them to join Pink Season.”